Marijuana and Your Oral Health

One of the things I noticed on this past election day is that marijuana has been legalized in Massachusetts, our neighbor to the north, and is now legal for recreational use by almost one-quarter of the US population. The use of medical marijuana  is legal in 20 more states, including Connecticut.  So here’s some information about marijuana smoking and your oral health.

According to a 2014 survey from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), around 22.2 million Americans report using the drug in the past month.   The first thing we need to do is understand that there are no stereotypes. Marijuana crosses all cultures, ages, genders, and socioeconomics. It is not a poor man's drug or a rich man's drug, and to most who use it, it isn't even a drug.

Some of my patients who use marijuana need compassion. Those who use marijuana to waylay the side effects of cancer, MS, fibromyalgia, and a host of other painful diseases just need support, for which its use is legal in Connecticut (and 19 other states, in addition to the 8 where it’s outright legal). This becomes a risk-benefit scenario, where the patient wants comfort, not a list of dos and dont's from the dentist.

However, on the flipside of compassion, we need to know that marijuana harms the oral cavity.

Do your homework! One study suggests frequent use of marijuana may triple the risk of severe gum disease. Tobacco is already known to raise the risk of periodontal disease. Researchers in New Zealand wanted to know if marijuana had a similar effect. Their study included 903 people. Some had smoked marijuana an average of once a week for 15 years. They were three times as likely to have severe gum disease as nonsmokers of marijuana. Reuters Health News service reported on the study on February 5, 2008. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Marijuana's harmful effects on the mouth include an increased risk of mouth cancer. "Drug Abuse" reports that marijuana has been found to have a higher concentration of cancer-producing ingredients than cigarettes. Pot smokers typically hold the smoke in the lungs and mouth for longer periods of time, increasing the effects on the mucous lining in the mouth and exposure to the cancer-causing agents. The tar found in marijuana has developed tumors on the skin of animals in laboratory tests.

A report by the American Medical Student Association says that marijuana users tend to get sick more frequently than those who don't smoke it. In addition to the lowered immune system and chemical poisons produced by the THC that linger in the mouth, marijuana users undergo personality changes that lead to poor hygiene. They lack energy and lose interest in everyday activities that were once important, such as brushing, flossing, and rinsing. The smoke from marijuana causes bad breath, and the lack of mouth care eventually produces additional problems for teeth and gums.

Marijuana can lead to higher incidences of cavities (caries), and it can cause cotton-mouth (xerostomia). Because of marijuana's side effects of dry mouth and hunger, most people turn to soft drinks and carbohydrates to stave off these side effects. This leads to plaque retention and a higher incidence of caries.

I know that despite some of these increased risks, many of my patients do, and probably more will use marijuana in the future.  In truth, I can’t say it’s worse than smoking two packs of cigarettes per day, or drinking a quart of liquor per day, or smoking methamphetamine, which are all really, really bad for your mouth.

But it doesn’t have a positive effect on the oral cavity.

Keep smiling,

 

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121